1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document data transmission device, document data transmission reception system, and document data transmission method that transmit document data to a client in accordance with a transmission request from the client or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A document data transmission device (document data transmission device) has generally been known which transmits document data to a client in accordance with a transmission request from the client. This type of document data transmission device stores plural document data pieces (patent publications, for example) in a storage unit, and transmits a specific document data that a client requests to send to the client. Normally, this type of document data transmission device receives the transmission request of the specific document data from the client through the Internet, and transmits the specific document data to the client through the Internet. Receiving a transmission request and sending document data through the Internet that is already organized as the information and communication infrastructure, a document data transmission service provider is able to perform a document data transmission service using a document data transmission device, with a small initial investment.
However, this type of document data transmission device according to the conventional technique involves the following problems.
First, this type of document data transmission device according to the conventional technique transmits to the client the whole of the specific document data requested by a client, regardless of whether the client needs the whole of the specific document data or not. Accordingly, when the client needs only a part of the specific document data, more concretely, when the client needs only the page data of page 99 of the document data made up of 100 pages, for example, it takes the client a long time to procure the necessary information.
Further, this type of document data transmission device according to the conventional technique receives a transmission request and transmits the document data through the Internet. Here in this system, generally the data quantity of the transmission request is extremely small, and usually the communication time for the transmission request performed through the Internet is insignificantly short. On the other hand, however, the data quantity of the document data can be extremely large, and in such a case, the time for transmitting the document data through the Internet can be very long.
Thus, this type of document data transmission device according to the conventional technique is not able to swiftly transmit the information needed by a client, in the transmission of the document data.